A UICC is a smart card used in mobile terminals. The UICC ensures the integrity and security of personal data, and the UICC typically has additional available storage space. In a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, the UICC contains a subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module (SIM) application and in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UTMS) network a SIM or a universal SIM. The UICC may come in the form of a removable chip that is insertable in a mobile terminal or it may take the form of a software based UICC that is embedded in the mobile terminal.
A physical and/or standard UICC has an internal structure as defined by International Organization of Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 7816-4, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applications stored on the UICC are generally associated with an Application Dedicated File (ADF). The ADF may be either part of a file structure under the master file (MF) or the ADF may exist separately within the UICC. In some embodiments, applications are part of a tree that are connected to the MF and thus can be selected by a path from the MF. In other embodiments, applications may be selected by an Application Identifier (AID). For example, an AID may provide a current location of an application within an UICC or Secure Element (SE).
In some embodiments multiple applications may be present on a UICC. These applications are selectable by their AID and may be added and removed from the UICC. Applications that are connected to the MF may also be removed; however these applications contain a fixed File ID and may be required by the mobile terminal for operation.
When a UICC is powered up and/or when the UICC reset is released, the UICC will deliver an Answer to Reset (ATR) of up to 32 bytes to the mobile terminal. In example embodiments, using the ATR information, the mobile terminal may determine the capabilities and characteristics of the UICC.
Between the UICC and the mobile terminal, there are also logical connections in the form of logical channels. For example, logical channel 0 is automatically opened after the ATR has been sent. In example embodiments, a logical channel is associated with a set of pointers that tracks the logical channel endpoint on the UICC. The structure of the UICC is defined in TS 102 221, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Generally the UICC is issued by a mobile phone carrier and is configured to provide access to a mobile network. As stated above, other applications may be installed on the UICC as it is considered to be a secure medium that would be ideal for personal data, such as financial data. However, in most cases only a single application or single application family is installed on the UICC. There are many reasons why the UICC environment has not been used for separate and distinct applications; however the primary reason is that most providers do not allow other applications on their cards. For example a mobile service provider may not want a competitor's application on its UICC. One potential solution is the use of multiple UICCs; however a mobile terminal generally only has a single hardware location for a UICC.